Today's Waterloo Region Record has an article by Michelle Landsberg, a former Toronto Star columnist. Back in the 1980s and likely much earlier she and the Star had been publishing articles openly and harshly critical of what passed for impartial, unbiased adjudication by racist, homophobic, sexist and clearly biased male judges or as she put it (always men). Now speaking from experience I believe that idiot, biased judges don't have to have all the detriments just described. For example I was oppressed with an idiot, biased judge in 1996 who was sexist in that he was apparently biased in favour of females not against them. This occurred both in my case and in others in which I was advised that he was ordered to apologize to the husband in a marital dispute for how he the judge treated him in court. This particular judge I refer to as the Dishonourable Justice Robert Reilly.
Getting back to the article at hand titled "Ontario's system of naming judges is well-respected" tends to throw one off at first glance. Further reading however clarifies that the author (Ms. Landsberg) is describing the improved system of naming judges since approximately the early 1990s, not in time to help me as I was inflicted with an entrenched judge. Ms. Landsberg is warning citizens not to be complacent as Doug Ford is attempting to turn back the clock even as his Conservative predecessor Mike Harris attempted in 1999. Our former inglorious leader didn't appreciate his crony and Conservative buddy not receiving a judgeship in Mr. Harris's home riding of North Bay and refused to appoint one of the three short listed applicant for the position. Eventually he caved.
Lastly as a warning of what our judicial system used to be I quote Ms. Landsberg's comments in support of the then new JAAC (Judicial Appointments Advisory Committee) when she stated "As we discovered the depth of cronyism and patronage in the Ontario court system, we felt strongly affirmed in our work...". Isn't it disturbing to realize that without open, transparent and honest decision making how all our man made systems, including judicial systems, descend into anarchy and chaos?
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